Combination cushion and life jacket



Dec. 28, 1965 H. BERWICK COMBINATION CUSHION AND LIFE JACKET 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1963 80 1 0 Fl E.

INVENTOR. LEWIS HENRY BERWICK ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28, 1965 L. H. BERWICK COMBINATION CUSHION AND LIFE JACKET 4 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1963 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28, 1965 L. H. BERWICK COMBINATION CUSHION AND LIFE JACKET Filed Dec. 18, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 70 l2 I4 52 40 K 76 I vs I as 1 V I4 74 75 74 I2 |o INVENTOR.

LEWIS HENRY BERWICK ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28, 1965 L. H. BERWICK 3,225,369

COMBINATION CUSHION AND LIFE JACKET Filed Dec. 18, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 s so IO 20 :1 g 1 ll INVENTOR.

LEWIS HEN RY BE RWICK ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,225,369 COMBINATION CUSHIGN AND LIFE .FACKET Lewis Henry Berwick, 17 Hainpden t., Springfield, Mass. Fiied Dec. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 331,556 7 Claims. (Cl. 9333) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a buoyant marine device comprising a combination seat cushion and life preserver and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which may normally function as a cushion and thus as a part of the upholstery equipment of a boat or similar vessel, and may, in the event of an emergency, alternatively function as a life preserver or appliance of the jacket type for maintaining a person wearing same afloat in water in manner efficiently to pillow the wearers head in a supported position such that his head is held above the water surface whether the wearer be in a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal position within the water.

This invention particularly relates to a construction especially designed for double service, in one phase as a cushion and in another phase as a life preserver, and envisions a novel watertight cushion having means in the form of pre-positioned straps incorporated therewith wherefore the ensemble may be maintained as a unit when in the cushion phase, and may be readily convertible into a jacket to be worn by a wearer when in the life preserver phase, being adaptable as a body-girthing garment to be adjustably fitted so as properly and comfortably to fit persons of different sizes, and additionally comprehends the salient feature of providing means for holding above the water surface line the head of a wearer who may have been precipitated into the water in a stunned or unconscious or otherwise helpless condition.

Still further, the invention advantageously teaches a jacket structure in the sense that the device may be secured about the wearer by way of coacting strap means adjustable at opposite sides of the body for securely holding same at a proper position upon and relative to the body.

Another preferably incorporated feature of the invention is an arrangement of buoyant elements such that their center of buoyancy may be so located that the body of a person Wearing same in the water will tend naturally to move t ward a reclining position for diminution of fatigue and minimization of feelings of fright or panic.

It is another object to provide a fioatable or buoyant device with surfaces which may carry any designs, configurations, identifications or other indicia and which may be colored and/ or luminous so as to be visible during operative use as a life preserver during emer ency periods, which surfaces will be protected from use during operative use as a cushion so as to be safe from eifacement through abrasion or friction.

The usual life preserver cushion is stitched and manufactured from coated cloth. Moisture and rain seep through the stitches, making the filler damp, decreasing the cushions buoyancy, and making it less effective as a life preserver. These prior art cushions must be dried after exposure to dampness or rain, and are, therefore, not always ready for life preserve use. Too, straps on the known types of life preserver cushions are normally stitched, contributing to structural weakness.

The present invention provides a life preserver cushion having many features of novelty to adapt it as a readily available buoyant and safe life preserver and/or as a comfortable cushion adding to the smart appearance of any craft on which it is used.

The device is particularly designed to permit a maximum freedom of movement and to support the wearer face up in the water, with his mouth and nose well above the surface, so that, even if unconscious, he will not drown.

It envisions a structure comprising cushioning panels or elements permanently joined together by flexible hinge sections to provide in seriatim a resilient cushion for seating or other purposes and a life preserver, when and if necessity dictates.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a combination seat cushion and life preserver of the character described which will be comparatively simple in its construction, light in its weight and highly efficient and reliable in its use, and which may be manufactured and assembled at low cost.

According to the teachings hereof, a watertight canvas or plastic covered cushion is constituted by a plurality of superposed panels by means of electronically or otherwise welding all seams of each of the interconnected panels wherefore a seamless construction, in effect, is achieved.

Additionally, the essential pro-positioned strap subassembly, securely and permanently connected to the cushion and concealed from view when the device is serving its normal function as a cushion, is readily grasped when the device is being transformed to a life preserver, said strap subassembly providing a convenient carrying means for transporting the device when it is used as a cushion and being readily adjustable so as to enable the device to be easily accommodated to any size of man intended to wear the same.

These, together with other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the combination cushionlife preserver embodying the present invention in its folded or cushion-serving or cushion phase position, with one of the side flaps thereof being shown in an opened position;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device as seen from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the device as seen from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the device of FIG. 1, with the illustrated side flap being shown in an opened position and with certain portions being omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one of the panels of a modified form of the invention for purposes of illustrating certain details of construction;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing the device of FIG. 1 in partially opened position and spread flat with the outer sides of the chest panel and the head receiving and head supporting panels being shown as uppermost;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the device of FIG.

1 in a nearly fully opened position and spread flat preparatory to employment as a life jacket;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the device of the invention as adjusted on a wearers body, with the head support panel being shown in its raised, head supporting position; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 with the head support panel being shown in its normal or lowered position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be observable that I have provided a safety cushion convertible to a life jacket and comprising a pair of elements comprising a chest or waist-engirdling element or panel, generally indicated by 19 and a back-engirdling element or panel, generally indicated by 20, and, as best seen in FIGS. 7-10, interconnected by a trio of elements or panels including a neck element or panel, generally indicated by 30, a head support element or panel, generally indicated by 40, and a head receiving element or panel, generally indicated by 50, each element or panel being of suitable dimensions.

Chest or waist element or panel 1!) will comprise, basically, a sheet of buoyant, expanded closed cell polyethylene foam selected for its characteristics of toughness, strength, lightness in weight and flexibility and for its compatibility with the range of chemical and physical environments likely to be encountered in practical use.

The sheeting preferentially will be preformed so as to offer substantially a pad-like configuration constituted by a plurality of interconnected tubular-like ribs 12 disposed in parallelism and connected to each other throughout their lengths by connecting webs or strips 14 formed of the same material from which the ribs are fabricated and unitary therewith so as to produce a structure possessing a generally corrugated appearance due to the alternation of ribs and connecting webs. Such sheeting will evidence sufficient resilience to permit compression if contacted by a foreign object and fiexure so that it will conform to the contours of the particular portions of the body being embraced in one phase of operational use.

Disposed in encapsulating manner over the sheeting on opposite planar surfaces thereof and opposite side and end edges thereof are top and bottom plies of a flexible fabric 16 consisting of cloth or a combination of cloth and rubber or plastic which preferentially is impervious to air and water.

Each fabric ply 16 will be observed to be adhesively secured to the confronting surfaces of connecting webs 14 as by a cementitious material 18. That is to say, the bonding between the outer fabric plies and the sheeting is effected only at the connecting webs 14 and not at the ribs 12, all so as to augment the flexing characteristic of the composite element and to permit the relative shifting of ribs and fabric plies as the element may be flexed in the fulfillment of its body-adapting characteristic.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plastic outer covering of fabric 116 is bonded by cementitious material 118 to a panel 110 comprising alternating ribs and webs 112 and 114 respectively, by means of electronic bonding electrodes E which are moved from web to web to cause a welding of fabric-to-panel only in the region of the webs.

It will be appreciated that the cementitious material could be initially applied to the Webs only. However, I have found it to be far simpler to coat the entirety of the outer planar surfaces of the sheeting and to weld only at the webs.

The adjacent and confronting opposite end and side edges of the top and bottom fabric plies will be electronically welded together to provide a completely encapsulated, watertight construction, the top fabric ply being elded to the bottom fabric ply along a seam 22.

The back girdling element or panel 20, neck element or panel 30, and head support element or panel 40 will be similarly constructed. The manner of construction of head-receiving element or panel 50 will be subsequently alluded to.

The electronic welding process by which the panels are formed is by now well known, being carried out by placing the parts to be so joined in a high frequency electric field between suitable electrodes, all so as not to dictate further detailed discussion.

Ensemble fastening means may comprise a pair of side flaps 24 at opposite sides of the chest or waist girdling element or panel 10, and a pair of side flaps 26 at opposite sides of the back girdling element or panel 20, with cooperating snap fastener elements 28 being provided on each of the side flaps 24 and 26, so that the flaps may be held in closed or face-to-face relationship, when the device is utilized as a cushion.

As shown in FIG. 5, each of the flaps 24 and 26 is electronically welded to a seam 22 of the adjacent confronting side edges of the top and bottom fabric plies to provide a strong, watertight structure,

Head receiving panel 50 will comprise merely a sheeting of duck having a central through head-receiving opening 52 therethrough and an elongated slit 54 communicating with said opening and radially extending therefrom toward an electronically welded connection 56 between panel and chest or waist panel 10. By said connection 56, panel will be observed to be or pivotally connected at one of its ends, identified as the top end for purposes of orientation, to one end called a front end of head receiving panel 50.

Back panel 29 is hingedly or pivotally connected at an electronically-welded connection 48 at one of its ends, identified as the top end to one end, called a lower end, of neck panel 3%.

The top end of neck panel is hingedly or pivotally connected at connection 58 to the rear end of head receiving panel 50 and to the lower end of head support panel 40.

A closure member 60, extends transversely across slit 54, is electronically welded at one end to head-receiving panel 50 at one side of the slit, and is provided at its opposite free end with a snap fastening means 62 engageable with a cooperant snap fastening means, not shown, fixed to head-receiving panel 50 at the other side of the slit.

When the device is worn as a life jacket and it is desired that the head-support panel be disposed in the lowered position of FIG. 10, snap fastening means 62 on closure member 60 are not engaged with the snap-fastening means on the head-receiving panel.

Head support panel may be brought to the raised, head-supporting position of FIG. 9, simply by grasping the free end of closure member 60 and pulling it to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 7-10, which pulling force is transmitted through head-receiving panel to connection 58 between head-support panel 40 and neck panel 39 wherefore the former is flipped or kicked to the said raised position.

After head-support panel 40 has been raised, it may be held in this position by engaging snap fastening means 62 on closure member with the snap fastening means on head-receiving panel 50.

Conversely, when closure member 60 is unsnapped, ten sion on head-receiving panel 50 and on connection 58 between neck panel 30 and head-support panel 40 is released, whereupon the latter automatically falls to the lowered position of Fig. 10.

As clearly seen in Fig. 7, a plurality of the snap fasteners 62 are provided on closure member 60 to allow selective restricting of the opening 52 about the neck of the wearer while the device is being worn and to provide a comfortably tight fit around the neck regardless of the neck size of the wearer.

Chest panel 10 and back panel 20 are further interconnected by a pair of take-up straps and 80, each disposed on one side of the device.

The straps are identically disposed on each side of the device, and each has a free end 72 disposed relative to transversely-extending manner in the upper quadrant of chest panel 10, and an opposite free end 74 disposed relative to transversely-extending manner in the lower quadrant of the chest panel.

One of said free ends 72, 72, and one of said free ends '74, 74 will each carry a buckle or clasp 75 for facilitating the adjustable interengagement of the opposite free ends 72, 72 and the opposite free ends 74, 74, as the case may be.

Upper and lower grommets 76 and 78 respectively, are provided in side flaps 24 of chest panel 10, and upper and lower grommets 82 and 84 respectively, are provided in side flaps 26 of back panel 20.

Each of the straps 70 and 80 constitutes a continuous length, and each extends, at one side of the structure, through upper grommet 76 in chest panel side flap 24, through upper grommet 82 in back panel side flap 26, through lower grommet 84 in back panel side flap 26 and through lower grommet 78 in chest panel side flap 24.

The straps 70 and 80 additionally pass through upper and lower D-rings 86 and 88 respectively, provided at each side of back panel 29 immediately adjacent upper and lower grommets 82 and 84 respectively, said D-rings serving to guide the passage of the straps to and through said grommets S2 and 84.

The straps 70 and 80, so threaded may additionally define convenient carrying strap portions wherefore the device may be readily moved or carried when it is in cushion form, by pulling outwardly on the straps at a point adjacent back panel 20 to form a loop 90 in each strap. In the forming of the loops, buttons or stops 92, strategically located on straps 70 and 80, are abuttable with grommets 82 and 84, so as to serve to limit the extent to which the straps may be pulled outwardly relative to back panel 20, the said stops 92 being of such dimension as not to pass through the grommets.

When the device is worn as a life jack, the free ends 72 and 74 of straps 70 and 80 are pulled toward each other, whereupon the loops 90 are drawn inwardly against back panel side flaps 26 so as not to constitute a hazard to the wearer, effectively precluding the danger that they might become hooked on protruding objects.

When worn as a life jacket, the chest or waist panel and the back panel as well will be observed to consist of a multiplicity of substantially vertical interconnecting ribs to provide an inner wall which may embrace the body of the wearer, with the straps 70 and 80 serving to pull the panels against the body of the wearer.

The ribs of each panel provide a ripple surface hearing against the body of the wearer permitting the free flow of air through the channels formed by the connecting webs and also permitting run off of water to provide a cooler more comfortable life jacket which may be worn without the objectionable feeling of clamminess experienced with life jackets of the prior art.

The aforementioned ripple surface also makes the device virtually skid-proof even when wet, a highly significant safety factor when the device is used as a cushion on normally wet surfaces on boats or other water craft.

When the device is worn, the head-support panel .0 is so constructed as to be disposed rearwardly of the wearers head to provide a head support against which the nape of the neck may rest when the wearer is in a prone position in the water but which may lie across his shoulders as shown in FIG. 10 when he is in an upright position.

In the raised position, panel 40 gives a stable and unvarying support to the wearer, a point of utmost importance when and where the wearer is thrown into the water in a stunned or unconscious condition and unable to control his own position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1.In a buoyant cushion convertible to a life jacket, the combination of a plurality of articulately interconnected sections normally constituting a cushion and shiftably erectible into a life preserver, the sections of said plurality thereof including a chest panel and a back panel and a neck panel and a head support panel and a head receiving panel, adjustable strap means on said chest and back panels for adapting securement of the device to the body of a wearer in a body girthing manner as a life jacket, and means for effecting movement of said head support panel between head supporting and non-head supporting positions as a life jacket.

2. In a buoyant cushion convertible to a life jacket, a plurality of interconnected panels normally forming a cushion, said panels being movable to form a bodyengirdling life jacket comprising a chest panel, a back panel, a neck panel, a head support panel, and a head receiving panel, strap means on certain of said panels for securing the life jacket to the body of a wearer, and means on said head-receiving panel for effectuating the movement of said head-support panel into and out of head supporting position.

3. In a buoyant cushion convertible to a life jacket as set forth in claim 2 wherein said strap means constitute carrying straps in the cushion phase of the device.

4. A unitary combination cushion/life jacket comprising, a plurality of interconnected panels consisting of, a back engirdling panel, a neck panel pivotally connected to said back engirdling panel, a head support panel pivotally connected to said neck panel, a head receiving panel pivotally connected to said neck panel, a chest engirdling panel pivotally connected to said head receiving panel, the panels of said plurality thereof being normally positionable in folded cushion forming position relative to each other and being shiftably positionable into erected life jacket forming position, means on said head receiving panel for elfectuating movement of said head support panel in the extended life jacket position into and out of head supporting position, and means providing carrying handles in the cushion forming position and shiftable for securing the life jacket on the body of the wearer in the life jacket forming position.

5. In the combination cushion/life jacket as defined in claim 4, certain of the panels of said plurality thereof each consisting of, a corrugated sheeting of molded closed cell plastic foam formed of a plurality of parallel tubular-like ribs spaced from each other by interconnecting webs unitary with the ribs, plies of flexible fabric disposed on opposite planar surfaces of said sheeting and interconnected to each other at their confronting areas at the opposite sides and ends of said sheeting for enclosing said sheeting.

6. In the combination cushion/life jacket as defined in claim 5, each said ply of fabric being cementitiously secured to the confronting surfaces of said webs for permitting flexure of said sheeting.

7. In a buoyant cushion convertible to a life jacket, the combination of: a plurality of interconnected panels normally forming a cushion and being erectible into a body-engirdling life jacket for wearing in a bib-like manner and including, a chest engirdling panel, a back engirdling panel, a neck panel, a head support panel, and a head receiving panel, strap means on certain of said panels for securement of the life jacket to the body of a wearer, and means on said head receiving panel for elfectuating the movement of said head support panel into and out of head supporting position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1962 Medin 9-333 10/ 1964 Brown 9-3 12 

2. IN A BUOYANT CUSHION CONVERTIBLE TO A LIFE JACKET, A PLURALITY OF INTERCONNECTED PANELS NORMALLY FORMING A CUSHION, SAID PANELS BEING MOVABLE TO FORM A BODYENGIRDLING LIFE JACKET COMPRISING A CHEST PANEL, A BACK PANEL, A NECK PANEL, A HEAD SUPPORT PANEL, AND A HEAD RECEIVING PANEL, STRAP MEANS ON CERTAIN OF SAID PANELS FOR SECURING THE LIFE JACKET TO THE BODY OF A WEARER, AND MEANS ON SAID HEAD-RECEIVING PANEL FOR EFFECTUATING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HEAD-SUPPORT PANEL INTO AND OUT OF HEAD SUPPORTING POSITION. 